Inspirational story: How much is a mother's love worth? Check the bill

One day a little boy named Billy came up to his mother in the kitchen while she was preparing supper for the whole family, and he handed her a piece of paper. After his mom dried her hands she took and read the note. At first, she couldn’t believe that her little boy could demand something like that from her. She wanted to yell at him and punish him somehow. But then she remembered her mother’s words, “My darling daughter, one day your child will do something you couldn’t imagine in your wildest dreams. You will feel angry, you will feel disappointed, you even might feel unappreciated. But then you will feel something only a mother can. And that is a mother’s love. So you will forgive your child and find a way to bond even more.”

Billy feeling very proud of himself and his demands looked at his mother and saw how she stared speechless at the note and that something was going through her mind. But what? Then without a word she picked up a pen, turned over the paper he’d written on, wrote something, and handed back the paper to him. When Billy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, “Mom, I love you!” Then  he took the pen and the piece of paper, turned it around where his first notes were written, he then draw an X over the whole page and wrote in big letters “PAID IN FULL WITH MY MOTHER’S LOVE.”

What did Billy wrote to his mother? The note said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00

For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00

For going to the store for you: $0.50

Babysitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $0.25

Taking out the garbage: $1.00

For getting a good report card: $5.00

For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00

Total owed: $14.75

Now let’s look at what his mother wrote back that made Billy change his mind:

For 9 months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge.

For all the nights that I’ve sat up with you, took care of your illnesses, and prayed for you: No Charge.

For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve caused through the years: No Charge.

For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were and still are ahead: No Charge.

For the toys, food, clothes, changing of diapers and even wiping your nose: No Charge,

Son, I am your mother and I love you. Your health, your happiness, your smile, and your hugs are worth more than any amount of money. Thank you.